Can opener



R. E. M LEAN June 17, 1952 CAN OPENER Filed May 9, 1947 Patented June17, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN OPENER Robert E. McLean,Columbus, Ga., assignor to John C. Hockery, Kansas City,- Mo., astrustee Application May 9, 1947', Serial No. 746,910

4 Claims. (01. 30'-8.5)

This invention relates generally to the class of cutlery and is directedparticularly to improvements in can openers of the rotary drive wheeltype.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a can opener of therotary drive wheel type, having a single operating handle by means ofwhich clockwise rotation causes the device to puncture the end of thecan and cut out the end. of the can and subsequent counterclockwiserotation of such single operating handle releases the can from thedevice and wherein there is provided a novel thrust mechanism which isnear the plane of the can driving wheel whereby to materially reduceoperating friction and thereby provide easier and more efiicientoperation of the opener.

Another object of the invention is to provide a can opener of the rotarydrive wheel type and employing a single operating handle by which theabove described functions are attained, wherein a novel thrust mechanismis provided in the form of a pawl movable in a plane parallel with andadjacent to a side of a body plate with novel means for automaticallyinterlocking such pawl with the means for rotating the drive wheel toeffect relative shifting between the drive wheel and a cutterwhen thecrank is turned in one direction and to effect automatic disengagementof the drive wheel rotating means after a predetermined operation of thehandle in the said one direction whereby to permit continued rotation ofthe drive wheel for the performance of the can top cutting operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a can opener of the rotarydrive wheel type, with a simple, compact, inexpensive and efficientescapement mechanism for cooperation with the single operating handle toeffect the thrust action required to puncture the end of the can and torelease the can from the device upon completion of the operation of.opening the can.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description of the.

same proceeds and the invention will be best understood from aconsideration of the following detailed description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, withthe understanding, however. that the invention is not to be understoodas limited to the exact details of construction shownv and describedsince obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

Figure 11s a view elevation of the right hand 2 side of the inventionshowing the escapement mechanism.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 2-2 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of the right hand side of the inventionmodified formounting on a wall or other vertical surface and showing theescapement trigger mechanism in a more nearly horizontal position. andin the 'position it assumes when the drive wheel and associate parts arein lowered position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing the numeral 54illustrates a body plate which is attached to a handle 55 by the rivets56 and 51.

In the body plate 54 is formed the arcuate slot 58 in which ispositioned the journal 59. This journal is mounted upon the shaft 60which is of polygonal cross section and at the inner or left hand sideof the body plate the shaft carries the spacer disk 6| while at theopposite or outer side there is secured on the shaft 60 the spacer disk62 of comparatively large diameter as is clearly shown in Figures 1 and2. This larger spacer disk 62 has anchored thereto the stud 63 and thisstud extends through the lateral plane of the trigger link which isgenerally designated 64.

Upon the outer side of the large diameter disk 62, the shaft 60' carriesthe two spacer disks 65. These disks are interposed between the disk 62and a portion of the operating handle, not shown, which is larger thanthe stem or shaft portion 60. Thus these elements through which theshaft portion 50 of the handle extends, are all secured to the shaft torotate therewith.

The trigger link 64 is of substantial length and one end is pivotallymounted upon the rivet 58. Adjacent to the opposite or free end, thetrigger link has a notch 66 formed in the under or bottom edge thereoffor cooperation with the stud 63.

It will be understood, of course, that in connection with the inventionthere is employed a suitable cutter supporting head structure. A portionof this head structure is shown in Figure 2 and is generally designated61, and carries a fixed cutter 61a in an offset parallel relation withthe can driving wheel 611).

Figure 3 illustrates a modified form of the invention adapted formounting on a wall or other vertical surface and showing also theescapement trigger or trigger link positioned in a morenearly horizontalplane.

In this modification the body plate is gener ally designated 68 and isformed as an integral 3 part of the arm 69 which is designed forattachment to a vertical supporting surface.

The numerals and H designate the two rivets which secure the body plateand the cutter support frame or head, not shown, together.

The head of the rivet II, and also the head of the rivet 5'! shown inFigures 1 and 2, extends outwardly through the lateral plane of thetrigger link which is generally designated 12 and functions, like thehead of rivet 51 as shown in Figure 2, as a stop for limiting the upwardswinging of the trigger link.

The body plate 68 has the arcuate slot 13 therein corresponding to theslot 58 and positioned in this slot is a journal, not shown,corresponding to the journal 59 through which passes the shaft or rivet15. As in the construction of Figures 1 and 2 the rivet 15 whichfunctions as a shaft, carries the disk 16 of enlarged diameter togetherwith other parts not shown, and upon the outer end of the shaft issecured an end of the crank 11. Between the crank l! and the disk 16 arespacers I8 which function like the spacers 65.

The trigger link 12 is pivotally attached to the body plate by the pivotrivet 19 which passes through one end of the link as shown and betweenthe link and the body plate is a spacer disk 80 which functions like thehandle 55 to maintain the link at the proper position outwardly from thebody plate to have engaged in the notch 8| formed in the lower edge andadja cent to the free end thereof, the stud 82 which is carried by thedisk 16 In the operation of the invention if the journal 59 is not inthe extreme rearward end of the arcuate slot 58 the operating shaft 60is rotated counterclockwise until it is in such position. The device isthen placed with the end of the cutter blade 61a over the rim of the canand the operating handle is rotated clockwise to turn the shaft 60 inthe same direction until the end is cut out of the can, upon completionof which the handle and shaft are rotated counterclockwise as far aspossible to release the can from the device.

Gravity causes the link 64 to drop and the notch 66 to engage with thestud 63 as the shaft 60 is turned either clockwise or counterclockwise.Upon commencing the clockwise rotation of the shaft the stud 63 will bein approximately the position illustrated in Figure 3 and the lower edgeof the trigger link will lie close to the spacers 65. As the operatingshaft is rotated clockwise the journal 59 will be moved from the lowerand rearward end of the slot 58 to approximately the position shown inFigure 1. When the stud 63 arrives at this position, the lower edge ofthe trigger link 64 engages the spacers 65 thereby preventing furtherclockwise swinging of the trigger link. As the operating shaft isoperated further clockwise the stud 63 disengages from the notch 66 andupon continued clockwise turning of the shaft the stud 63 engages theunder edge of the trigger link 64 and lifts the free end of the linkupwardly and then allows it to seat again on the spacers 65.

Upon counterclockwise rotation of the shaft 60 the stud 63 engages withthe notch 66 of the trigger link 64. Further counterclockwise rotationof the shaft moves the journal 59 to the rearward end of the slot 58. Itwill be seen that the stud 63 will engage the notch 66 upon eitherclockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the journal 59 at the time thestud 63 comes into alignment with the notch 66. Gravity of the triggerlink 64 may be supplemented by a suitable spring, if desired.

It is believed that it will be readily apparent that the operation ofthe modified form shown in Figure 3 is the same as that of theconstruction shown in Figures 1 and 2.

I claim:

1. A can opener of the rotary drive wheel type, comprsing a body havingan arcuate slot, the slot having a low end and a high end, a cuttercarried by the body above the high end of the slot. a journal mounted inthe slot for rotation and for movement from one end of the slot to theother, a shaft extending through and secured to the journal to turntherewith, a can rim engaging driving wheel mounted upon the end of theshaft adjacent to the cutter, means upon the other end of the shaft forturning the same, a relatively long element supported upon the bodyabove and to extend across the shaft, said element having a constanttendency to move down toward the shaft. a detent carried by the shaftbelow said element, and means forming a part of said element forreceiving the detent upon clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of theshaft, the engagement of the detent in th receiving means therefor uponclockwise rotation of the shaft when the journal is in the low end ofthe slot, effecting the shifting of the journal to the high end of theslot and the freeing of the detent from the receiving means, and thesaid tendency of the element to move in the manner stated maintainingsaid element in a position for ready reengagement of the detent in thereceiving means upon counterclockwise rotation of the shaft, during theoperating period in which the journal is in the high end of the slot.

2. A rotary can opener of the character stated in claim 1, wherein saiddetent comprises a pin connected with the shaft to rotate therewith andextending parallel with the axis of the shaft and the said receivingmeans comprises a recess formed in said element into which said pinengages.

3. A can opener of the rotary drive wheel type comprising a body platehaving an arcuate slot therein, the slot having a low end and a highend, a cutter mounted upon the body plate above the high end of theslot, a journal mounted in the slot for rotation and for movementtherein from one end of the slot to the other, a shaft extending axiallythrough the journal and secured thereto for rotation therewith, a canrim engaging driving wheel carried upon the end of the shaft adjacent tothe cutter, a pair of spacer members mounted upon the shaft uponopposite sides of the journal, the spacer member remote from the drivingwheel being in the form of a disk, a pin carried by the disk andextending away from the body plate in parallel relation with the shaft,means upon the opposite end of the shaft from the wheel for rotating theshaft, a relatively long member pivotally secured at one end to the bodyplate and extending across the shaft upon the side of said disk remotefrom the body plate, and a slot formed in the lower edge of said memberand adapted to receive said pin upon clockwise rotation of the shaftwhen the journal is in the lower end of the arcuate slot to effect theshifting of the journal to the high end of the arcuate slot, the pindisengaging from said member when the journal reaches the high end ofthe arcuate slot to permit continued clockwise rotation of the shaft,the said pin reengaging in the said slot formed in the lower edge ofsaid member upon counterclockwise rotation of the shaft to effect theshifting of the journal to the low end of the arcuate slot.

4. An opener of the character described in claim 3, with a wheelrotatably mounted upon the body plate beneath the high end of thearcuate slot and upon the side of the body plate adjacent to the can rimengaging driving wheel, the said rotatabiy mounted wheel having theadjacent spacer member in peripheral contact therewith, said adjacentspacer member being in the form of a disk and adapted to roll around throtatabiy mounted wheel.

ROBERT E. McLEAN.

REFERENCES crren The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

